Manchester United began life after Erik ten Hag in superb fashion with a four-goal flurry at Old Trafford in the first half of their Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City.
The hosts started shakily especially with the Foxes happy to press up the pitch. They controlled possession but were unable to play out from the back and made a few positional errors with Lisandro Martinez filling in at left-back.
Things settled down when Casemiro scored the first of six goals thanks to a rocket strike from range which left Danny Ward perplexed. Alejandro Garnacho quickly added a second with a finish to rival interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy before Bilal El Khannouss pulled one back for the visitors.
The goal fest didn’t stop there as Bruno Fernandes’ free kick took a big deflection to give United a third goal before Casemiro netted a second from a corner. With set pieces yielding goals, Conor Coady kept Leicester in the contest just before the break, turning in a loose ball after a free kick lifted it into the United area.
There was a final goal for Fernandes after the break as United hit five on Van Nistelrooy’s debut and advanced to the quarter-finals of the league cup.
Relive the updates from Man United vs Leicester in the live blog below:
Man United v Leicester - live
- Manchester United host Leicester in the Carabao Cup, live on Sky Sports+
- 59’ GOAL! Fernandes goes around Ward and adds a fifth (MUN 5-2 LEI)
- 45+3 GOAL! Coady beats Bayindir from inside the six-yard box (MUN 4-2 LEI)
- 39’ GOAL! Casemiro scores his second from a corner (MUN 4-1 LEI)
- 36’ GOAL! Fernandes scores from a free kick (MUN 3-1 LEI)
- 33’ GOAL! El Khannouss pulls one back for Leicester (MUN 2-1 LEI)
- 28’ GOAL! Garnacho completes fine move with powerful finish (MUN 2-0 LEI)
- 15’ GOAL! Casemiro rocket sends United ahead (MUN 1-0 LEI)
Manchester United FC 5 - 2 Leicester City FC
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s debut outing proves Manchester United were right to dismiss Erik ten Hag
22:10 , Mike JonesRuud van Nistelrooy always promised goals for Manchester United. There were 36 in his first season as a player, 44 in his second. There were seven in his first game as their interim manager, five of them for United. The third-lowest scorers in the Premier League, United discovered a prolific streak under him. If it is to prove his lone evening in charge of United, what a night for him.
It was a nostalgia trip when Van Nistelrooy headed down the tunnel at half-time to be serenaded by the Stretford End. The choruses of his name, the guttural growls of “Ruud”, may have transported them back to 2003, to a happier time, and if United can forever seek solace in their past, when actually needing to escape it, this was an enjoyable interlude before Ruben Amorim’s tenure begins, assuming it does and depending on when it actually starts.
Van Nistelrooy’s debut outing proves Man Utd were right to dismiss Ten Hag
Ruud van Nistelrooy happy to ‘help and serve’ Manchester United’s next manager
22:58 , Mike JonesRuud van Nistelrooy has vowed to stay on at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim if he is wanted to and said he will serve as interim manager for as long as they ask him to.
The former United striker won his first game in temporary charge after Erik ten Hag’s sacking by overseeing a 5-2 win over Leicester in the Carabao Cup, with both Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes scoring twice.
Ruud van Nistelrooy happy to ‘help and serve’ Manchester United’s next manager
Carabao Cup quarter-final draw
22:25 , Mike JonesIt’s almost time for the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw and updates can be found right here:
Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Updates as remaining teams learn next opponents
Chelsea on the horizon
22:15 , Mike JonesTonight’s result is a superb one for Manchester United and should give them confidence heading into the weekend when they face Chelsea in a huge Premier League clash.
Enzo Maresca’s side will be fresh and lively with a better eye for goal than Leicester. With United down in 14th, they’ll need to win that one.
Carabao Cup results
22:12 , Mike JonesHere are all the results from tonight’s six matches:
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
Brighton 0-3 Liverpool
Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
Tottenham 2-1 Manchester City
United on target at Old Trafford
22:06 , Mike JonesA feast of goals at Old Trafford! ⚽️#MUFC || #CarabaoCup
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 30, 2024
United dominant at Old Trafford
21:54 , Mike JonesUnsurprisingly, Manchester United dominated at home against Leicester. They had the most possession 56.5% compared to the Foxes 43.5% and created the most chances (23).
From those 23 shots they scored five times and could have had a few more. The annoying thing for Ruud van Nistelrooy is that United still allowed Leicester to have 16 shots of their own.
Whichever manager replaces Erik ten Hag they will need to sort out that problem, among others.
Manchester United reach Carabao Cup quarter-finals
21:51 , Mike Jones
FT Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:48 , Mike JonesManchester United advance to the next round of the Carabao Cup where they join Brentford, Southampton, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
In the final fourth round match, Manchester City currently trail 2-1 to Tottenham.
Full-time! Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:39 , Mike Jones90+2 mins: There goes the full-time whistle and Manchester United have put on a performance tonight at Old Trafford. The fans will leave happy after a goal fest from their side which gives Ruud van Nistelrooy his first victory as interim boss.
The aggression was good, the willingness to shoot was superb. United were more clinical tonight and as such they’re into the last eight of the league cup.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:37 , Mike Jones90 mins: Just the two minutes of added time to play at Old Trafford. Manchester United are heading into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:34 , Mike Jones86 mins: Leicester are still giving it a go. Their persistence has been admirable and Steve Cooper’s changes mean most of their first choice 11 are now on the pitch.
It’s a huge ask to get back from here.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:30 , Mike Jones83 mins: Close!
Casemiro flicks a fine effort into the box and matches the run of Bruno Fernandes. The United captain meets the ball on the volley but sneds the effort high and wide.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:26 , Mike Jones80 mins: 10 minutes to go at Old Trafford, probably too little time for a Leicester comeback. Man Utd look fairly comfortable but these players have slipped up late in matches already this season.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:24 , Mike Jones77 mins: This has been an incredibly entertaining match. Both teams have been determined to shoot and score despite defensive weaknesses on both sides.
The result is lots of goals.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:20 , Mike Jones74 mins: Jonny Evans is coming on to replace Matthijs de Light for Man Utd. Evans will play the last 20 minutes or so against his old club Leicester.
Alejandro Garnacho is also off with Rasmus Hojlund being brought into the forward line.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:18 , Mike Jones71 mins: Zirkzee wins the ball back for United and pokes it to Amad. He slots a pass inside to Fernandes who feeds it into the left side fo the box for him.
The youngster sprints onto the ball then drills a shot into the side of the net.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:14 , Mike Jones68 mins: Save!
Boubakary Soumare lets fly with a shot from outside the box and strikes it well. The ball is swerving away from Altay Bayindir but he manages to get a hand to the ball and tips it onto the crossbar!
Leicester remain dangerous.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:12 , Mike Jones65 mins: Wow!
Amad Diallo’s first touch is a bicycle kick from the middle of the box which almost finishes into the bottom corner. Instead the ball bounces wide of the target and United are denied a sixth goal.
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
21:09 , Mike Jones62 mins: Ruud van Nistelrooy makes a double change for Manchester United now with Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez taken off in favour of Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui.
GOAL! Man Utd 5-2 Leicester (Bruno Fernandes, 59 mins)
21:07 , Mike JonesTwo for Bruno Fernandes!
A poor back pass from Caleb Okoli allows Bruno Fernandes to beat Danny Ward to the ball and he nips around the goalkeeper. There’s a man on the line to defend but Fernandes takes his time and dispatches it into the goal.
United have five.
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
21:05 , Mike Jones59 mins: Save!
Joshua Zirkzee receives the ball and sends it out to Garnacho now on the right side of the pitch. He drives forward then pulls one back to the forward who whips a first time effort at goal and forces a sharp save out of Danny Ward!
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
21:04 , Mike Jones58 mins: Man Utd need some time on the ball. They haven’t been able to control the game since the restart with Leicester overwhelming the midfield duo of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte.
The hosts have soaked up that pressure well but now need to exert a bit of their own.
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
21:02 , Mike Jones55 mins: Casemiro is doing a lot of work to help out defensively for Man Utd as Lindelof and De Ligt haven’t quite clicked in this game.
Rashford takes out Justin on Leicester’s right side meaning it’s a free kick for the visitors.
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:58 , Mike Jones52 mins: Man Utd have started this half much like they started the first. Passing the ball around the defence and struggling to beat the Leicester press.
The Foxes are dictating the play at present.
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:56 , Mike Jones49 mins: James Justin stays high up the pitch and rolls one back to Bobby De Cordova-Reid. His first time cross finds Jordan Ayew who struggles to shift it into space in order to get a shot away.
United scramble to clear the ball and do so after a Casemiro block.
Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:54 , Mike Jones48 mins: Leicester aren’t out of this match. They’ve already scored twice and will know that this Manchester United team are a bit shaky defensively.
If they get the next goal they could turn the tables on their hosts.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will probably have told his players to keep trying to score. United need the confidence of a big win.
Second half! Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:52 , Mike JonesMan Utd kick off the second half. Surely this 45 minutes won’t be as exciting as the first one?
HT Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:51 , Mike JonesManchester United have only scored eight goals in nine Premier League outings this season. They are currently on 11 goals from two matches in the Carabao Cup.
HT Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:47 , Mike JonesManchester United lost 10 games by a margin of 3+ goals in all competitions under Erik ten Hag, twice as many as they suffered under any other Red Devils boss post Sir Alex Ferguson.
HT Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:43 , Mike JonesMan Utd are on top against Leicester City but will need to see this game out.
Half-time! Man Utd 4-2 Leicester
20:39 , Mike Jones45+4 mins: Manchester United began life after Erik ten Hag in superb fashion with a four-goal flurry at Old Trafford in the first half of their Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City.
The hosts started shakily especially with the Foxes happy to press up the pitch. They controlled possession but were unable to play out from the back and made a few positional errors with Lisandro Martinez filling in at left-back.
Things settled down when Casemiro scored the first of six goals thanks to a rocket strike from range which left Danny Ward perplexed. Alejandro Garnacho quickly added a second with a finish to rival interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy before Bilal El Khannouss pulled one back for the visitors.
The goal fest didn’t stop there as Bruno Fernandes’ free kick took a big deflection to give United a third goal before Casemiro netted a second from a corner. With set pieces yielding goals, Conor Coady kept Leicester in the contest just before the break, turning in a loose ball after a free kick lifted it into the United area.
What will the second half have in store?
GOAL! Man Utd 4-2 Leicester (Conor Coady, 45+8)
20:34 , Mike Jones45+3 mins: A Leicester free kick is lifted into the Man Utd box. It hits Diogo Dalot who can’t do much about it and bobbles into the six-yard box.
Conor Coady comes through to meet the loose ball and turns it home. Leicester are still in this game.
Man Utd 4-1 Leicester
20:31 , Mike Jones45 mins: Four minutes of added time to play at the end of this half.
Man Utd 4-1 Leicester
20:28 , Mike Jones42 mins: Close!
Fernandes dinks another free kick over the Leicester defence and finds Casemiro. He heads one towards goal and forces a decent save out of Danny Ward.
GOAL! Man Utd 4-1 Leicester (Casemiro, 39’)
20:25 , Mike JonesFour!
Garnacho takes a shot that Ward palms behind for a corner. The set piece is hung into box where Casemiro wins the header and finds the nearest post.
The ball richocets off one post onto the other then bounces back into play where Casemiro is first to the ball again and smokes it home.
GOAL! Man Utd 3-1 Leicester (Bruno Fernandes, 36’)
20:22 , Mike JonesBruno Fernandes takes the free kick and looks to curl one into the right corner of the goal. It hits James Justin square on the head and the deflection wrongfoots Danny Ward meaning the ball lands in the back of the net.
Man Utd 2-1 Leicester
20:21 , Mike Jones35 mins: Garnacho is brought down on the edge of the Leicester box and this is dangerous for the visitors...
GOAL! Man Utd 2-1 Leicester (Bilal El Khannouss, 33’)
20:20 , Mike JonesLeicester play a short corner to Bobby De Cordova-Reid who whips a cross over to the middle of the of the box. Altay Bayindir fluffs his clearnance and knocks the ball to Bilal El Khannouss who is wide open.
He manages to bring the ball down the drills a low effort to the far post. It hits the upright and bounces across goal behind finishing in the back of the net.
Leicester have one back.
Man Utd 2-0 Leicester
20:16 , Mike Jones30 mins: Leicester look to comeback at United by getting forward on the left wing. Kasey McAteer and Bilal El Khannouss combine to get into space before the latter lifts a shot high and wide.
GOAL! Man Utd 2-0 Leicester (Alejandro Garnacho, 28’)
20:14 , Mike JonesAnother one!
This is another great goal from Manchester United. Diogo Dalot makes a run down them right side and is given the ball with a chipped pass from Casemiro.
Dalot whips an early pass into the far side of the box where Alejandro Garnacho arrives and whacks a first time shot into the back of the net.
Man Utd 1-0 Leicester
20:09 , Mike Jones24 mins: There’s a spring in the steps of these United players now after they’ve gone ahead. Manuel Ugarte lunges into a tackle on Jordan Ayew and takes out the legs of the forward.
Leicester free kick this time. What can they muster?
Bilal El Khannouss floats a long cross over to the far side of the box where Victor Lindelof beats Conor Coady in the air.
Man Utd 1-0 Leicester
20:06 , Mike Jones21 mins: Caleb Okoli grabs onto Bruno Fernandes’ shirt as the Man Utd captain looks to sprint into the box. He goes down and wins a free kick for the hosts.
Marcus Rashford takes the shot and drills it into the wall. Okoli was booked for his efforts.
Man Utd 1-0 Leicester
20:04 , Mike Jones18 mins: Casemiro has scored the last goal under Erik ten Hag and the first under Ruud van Nistelrooy. What a strike that was as well, it came from nowhere and the interim manager was delighted with the shot.
United have the lead, can they build on it now?
GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Leicester (Casemiro, 15 mins)
20:02 , Mike JonesWhat a strike!
Lisandro Martinez chips the ball forward to Alejandro Garnacho running down the left wing. The Argentine brings it down then looks to send it back to Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes lets it run and Casemiro takes over. He touches the ball forward then smokes a wonderfull effort into the far top corner!
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
19:58 , Mike Jones12 mins: Manchester United have seen most of the possession but they’ve not done a lot with it. Leicester have been direct and fearless when they turn over possession.
United look a little suspect in defence once more.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
19:55 , Mike Jones9 mins: Leicester do well. A long ball forward bounces into space for Joshua Zirkzee after Conor Coady slips trying to get ot the loose ball.
Zirkzee weaves into the box but the visitors get back and stop his attempted pass across to Alejandro Garnacho.
Lisandro Martinez drifts inside from the left and leaves a lot of space in behind. Leicester exploit it to get forward on the break before they square a pass over to Jordan Ayew.
Ayew shoots but sends the effort straight at Altay Bayindir.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
19:50 , Mike Jones6 mins: Leicester boot the ball forward in a hopeful clearance but fine tracking and strength from Jordan Ayew sees him bungle Lindelof off the ball.
He holds it up and waits for his teammates to arrive. Leicester work the ball over to the right wing where Bobby De Cordova-Reid runs the ball out of play.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
19:48 , Mike Jones3 mins: Leicester look to press United’s shaky defence which has come under threat in recent games. Matthijs de Light and Victor Lindelof partner at centre-back tonight and they’ll be determined to keep a clean sheet.
As it stands though, United can’t get out of their own half.
Kick off! Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
19:46 , Mike JonesThe Foxes get the ball rolling at Old Trafford. Steve Cooper has made a whole host of changes from the defeat on Friday night but they’ll be eager to impress.
Leicester work the ball over to the right side of the pitch where Man Utd collect possession and look to build from the back.
Man Utd vs Leicester
19:40 , Mike JonesThe players make their way out onto the pitch at Old Trafford. This is Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of Manchester United and their first game since Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday.
Can they turn their form around and get a win tonight?
We’re about to find out, kick off is up next...
Ruben Amorim provides update to Manchester United links
19:35 , Mike JonesSporting CP manager Ruben Amorim is being heavily linked with a mid-season move to Manchester United after the Red Devils sacked former boss Erik ten Hag on Monday.
Sporting defeated Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup on Tuesday evening and Amorim issued a brief statement on the United situation after the game.
He said: “Nothing is decided yet… I don’t know if it’s the farewell game or not.”
Negotiations between the two clubs continue over a compensation package should Amorim depart.
Ruud van Nistelrooy reveals sacrifices of Manchester United return and how ‘culture’ is being restored
19:30 , Mike JonesRuud van Nistelrooy has revealed he was shocked when Manchester United approached him to return to Old Trafford in the summer and said he is making sacrifices he would not for any other club.
The Dutchman is set to take charge of United for the first time against Leicester in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie as the interim manager following Erik ten Hag’s sacking.
Van Nistelrooy was added to Ten Hag’s coaching staff as an assistant manager in July, though he admitted they did not know each other before then.
Van Nistelrooy reveals Man Utd return sacrifice and restoration of club ‘culture’
Man Utd vs Leicester
19:26 , Mike Jones
Cooper on Nottingham Forest defeat
19:20 , Mike JonesLeicester were on a decent run of form before they fell to a 3-1 loss at home against Nottingham Forest at the weekend. It’s a result the manager labelled as a ‘setback’
Cooper explored the defeat in his pre-match press conference saying: “It was a set-back but if you look at the Forest game and the Southampton game, they are probably great examples of what will come in the future this season.
“We will have games where we get really good results and the world feels like a brilliant place and we’ll get the opposite like we had against Forest.
“That’s the nature of the league that we’re playing in and where we’re at. What we’ve got to do is make sure that we stay on task and stay on track, which we are doing. We’re really disappointed with how we let the game slip away from us on Friday because at half-time, it was really there to take advantage and get a win, and we didn’t do that.
“That was disheartening, especially when I watched the game back, but we have to accept it, as difficult as that is, because we never want to accept defeat too easily, but make sure that it doesn’t deter us from the journey that we’re on.
“That journey will be full of ups and downs, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve experienced it before and I know whatever has gone before has only got to be used to make you stronger going forward, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent and that’s what we’re really committed to this week.”
Leicester want ‘to win every game'
19:15 , Mike JonesLeicester manager Steve Cooper has high hopes for his team and says the target is to ‘win every game’ they play starting at Old Trafford tonight.
“The difference with this one is that it’s an away game and then we go away again to Ipswich at the weekend, so it’s times like this where it’s good that you have a squad,” Cooper explained when addressing team changes.
“It gives you decisions to make and, if we feel like we need to, utilise the squad over the two games, then we will do that.
“It’s one game at a time. We want to win every game that we play and all focus is on tomorrow and making sure we really commit to what is required to make it a positive night.
“We’re striving every day to improve and knowing that when we get to the levels we know we can get to, it will be really positive.”
What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd
19:10 , Mike JonesOrder some shooting practice
Ten Hag will have cleared out his office on Monday thinking about what could have been had his players scored some of their first-half chances at West Ham on Sunday.
That has been United’s biggest Achilles heel so far as they have failed to make their dominance count in games.
Only Southampton and Crystal Palace have scored fewer than them in the Premier League so far, so the new manager must find a way for his players to be more clinical.
What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd
19:05 , Mike JonesProvide a clear identity
A big criticism during the Ten Hag era was that there was no identity to his United side and it was a mystery as to how they would set up from one game to the next.
The new manager must change that and provide a team with an obvious personality and defined character – preferably one that attacks and plays on the front foot.
What Ruben Amorim needs to do at Man Utd
19:00 , Mike JonesSort out form
It is the most obvious place to start, but Ruben Amorim will be expected to turn results around quickly.
Erik ten Hag was ultimately fired because he was simply not winning enough games and the new man must hit the ground running.
He will inherit a side 14th in the Premier League after four defeats from their opening nine games and struggling in the Europa League.
More from Van Nistelrooy
18:55 , Mike JonesThe Man Utd interim boss continued saying: “Despite our results, I am loving being back at Old Trafford and working with the team and staff every day. We’ve seen the squad’s potential at times this season, but clearly not often enough.
“When I returned in the summer as Erik’s assistant, it was because I believe that Manchester United can climb back to the levels that I knew here as a player. I still have that belief, but it will take time and a lot of hard work.
“The first step is to restore the winning habit, starting at Old Trafford this evening. I know first-hand the positive effect that our wonderful fans can have on the team, so please get behind the players as we fight together to move a step closer to Wembley.”
Van Nistelrooy on taking over at Man Utd
18:50 , Mike JonesRuud van Nistelrooy is the new interim manager of Manchester United though he may not be in the role for very long depending on negotiations with Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim.
While he is in charge Van Nistelrooy took the opportunity to address the fans in tonight’s match programme.
He wrote: “As I am sure everyone can imagine, I am writing these notes with a huge amount of mixed emotions. Erik ten Hag brought me back to Manchester United in the summer and, while I have only been part of the coaching staff here for a few months, I will always be grateful to him for giving me the opportunity, and I am saddened to see him leave.
“Even on an interim basis, it is a great honour to manage the club I love for however long I am asked to do so. I can promise that I will continue to give my all, in whatever capacity, to try to turn around our fortunes.”
Man Utd line-up
18:46 , Mike JonesMan Utd XI: Bayindir; Dalot, Lindelof, De Ligt, Martinez; Ugarte, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee
Ruud names his Reds XI 🔴📋#MUFC || #CarabaoCup
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 30, 2024
Bruno Fernandes on Ruben Amorim’s potential as a manager
18:40 , Mike JonesBruno Fernandes spoke glowingly last year about Ruben Amorim and his potential as a manager.
The Sporting boss has been tipped to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and the Portuguese midfielder’s remarks from last year suggest he will be pleased with the potential appointment.
“I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,” Fernandes told SportTV last year.
“Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.”
Leicester line-up
18:38 , Mike JonesLeicester XI:
Your starting line-up 🔵#MUNLEI pic.twitter.com/cFj5gn2WA9
— Leicester City (@LCFC) October 30, 2024
Manchester United in talks to make Ruben Amorim new manager to replace Erik ten Hag
18:25 , Mike JonesManchester United are in talks to try and appoint Ruben Amorim, with the Sporting head coach understood to be considering the opportunity to replace Erik ten Hag.
The Old Trafford hierarchy have put the 39-year-old top of their list, having not considered him during the summer. They are also willing to negotiate with the Portuguese club about a release fee that is within the region of €10m (£8.3m).
United are seeking to impress on Amorim the opportunity that the job presents and there has been considerable progress on talks, to the point that Amorim’s coaching staff has been discussed.
Manchester United in talks to make Ruben Amorim new manager to replace Erik ten Hag
Foxes in form
18:20 , Mike JonesLeicester are in good form.
They’ve only lost two of their last seven matches across all competitions though one of those defeats came against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
Jamie Vardy has scored in his last two outings and will be keen to perform at Old Trafford.
A close affair
18:15 , Mike JonesDespite coming up from the Championship this season, Leicester are only two points behind Man Utd in the Premier League table. They have won twice and drawn three times in the top flight so will be confident of taking on the Red Devils tonight.
United, in contrast, have three wins and two draws but will hope the change in manager can turn around their fortunes and send them into the next round.
Cooper on Manchester United
18:10 , Mike JonesSteve Cooper is also expecting Manchester United’s quality to be on display at Old Trafford but hopes his gameplan will be enough to help his players get the win.
Cooper added: “Manchester United have got brilliant players who can make a difference in every area of the pitch, both with and without the ball and we have to be ready for that. We also know that we have players who can have good moments as well and impacts on the game. We’ve got to make sure that we take that opportunity.
“We believe that if we get our game right, it can have a positive influence on any game we play. Of course, you have to understand the opponents and dangerous players and everything else which forms a game plan, but the biggest part of our game plan is that our game becomes a dominant factor in every match that we play.
“There’s always context to a game and this one is the change from league to cup and the change in manager with an interim going in. That can add to the atmosphere and we’re very aware of that, but it hasn’t changed our objective and what we want to do in the game and that’s the bit we can influence. We’re focused on ourselves and how we get us right for the game.”
Steve Cooper on preparing Leicester
18:05 , Mike JonesWith all the noise surrounding Manchester United it is easy to lose sight of Leicester City’s position. They are preparing to face a team without a manager and boss Steve Cooper is focusing on his own players instead of the opposition.
He told reporters at the pre-match press conference: “What we’re doing now is preparing for a cup game and a chance to get to the quarter-finals and a game that we really want to bring a good performance to get us through to the next round.
“I’m sure the atmosphere will be really good tomorrow and we’ve got to try and thrive in that moment. That’s what we’ve been talking about in the past day or so. We’re looking forward to getting down there.
“When you come up against a change in manager, it’s a really good challenge to show how good your own work is as a team, in terms of your ideas of play, both with and without the ball, because really, if you get it right, you should be able to adapt to anything that you face and that will be no different tomorrow.”
How Erik ten Hag lost his way and dragged Manchester United into even deeper chaos
18:00 , Mike JonesErik ten Hag has a brand of defiance that sometimes made him sound a man apart.
An unexpected taste of glory empowered him. “If they don’t want me, I go somewhere else to win trophies,” he said after defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Manchester United initially decided – albeit after speaking to a host of other managers – that they still did want him. Now, four months on, comes the decision they do not.
How Erik ten Hag lost his way and dragged Manchester United into even deeper chaos
Bruno Fernandes sends message to Erik ten Hag
17:55 , Mike JonesManchester United captain Bruno Fernandes thanked Erik ten Hag in a social media post shortly after the Dutchman was sacked just nine games into the Premier League season.
“Thanks for everything boss!” Fernandes posted on Instagram. “I appreciate the trust and the moments we share together, I wish you all the best in the future.
“Even knowing the last period hasn’t been great from all of us, I hope you fans can keep with you the good things the manager has done for our club!”
Forward Alejandro Garnacho, who broke into the first team under Ten Hag also thanked his former manager.
“I will always be grateful to you for giving me the opportunity and confidence to play for this club,” Garnacho posted. “I will remember the good times we had together, I wish you all the best.”
Young England international Kobbie Mainoo also thanked Ten Hag for helping him break into the Manchester United team last season.
“Thank you for your trust and belief in me, and for giving me the opportunity to play with my boyhood club.” Mainoo said. “I wish you all the best for the future.”
Erik ten Hag admits ‘luck not on my side’ in final Man United press conference
17:50 , Mike JonesErik ten Hag admitted luck was “not on his side” in his final Manchester United press conference as manager on Sunday, 27 October.
It came after United slipped to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season at West Ham. They now sit in the bottom half of the table, having won one of their last eight games in all competitions.
In a statement, the club thanked Ten Hag for his work and wished him well for the future. Ruud van Nistelrooy has been named interim head coach as United recruit a permanent head coach.
Gary Neville reacts to Man Utd sacking Erik ten Hag
17:45 , Mike JonesGary Neville insists the beginning of the end for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United came after the humbling defeat to Tottenham last month.
The Dutch coach was sacked on Monday with the Red Devils languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table following a damaging defeat at West Ham.
“I thought it was coming,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “Looking at Tottenham, I thought I’d seen this before and know how it ends. It was a bad day for Ten Hag, everybody thought that would be the day we would kick on, but it’s got worse. Missing chances was unacceptable, the decision was a bad one.
“The challenges of the performances, the owners have decided to sack Ten Hag, I don’t think anybody will be shocked. There will be those that say they have been proven right, fans wanted to continue with Ten Hag, give him an opportunity to succeed under a new structure.
“The shock has been how bad they’ve been, the new signings, to get a good performance and some stability. 14th? It’s unacceptable. The spend that’s occurred. I was hoping it would end differently, the faith shown in him would pay off, but it’s not the case.
“I suspect that Tottenham game would be a catalyst to look for a new manager, being in that position, you look who’s available, being diligent and then think of the timing. In our position, you’re hoping the manager will turn it around, start to win matches, 99/100 when you’ve made the decision, the tide’s against you, it continues to go against you, they decided the next big loss, they’d have to act. They started, I’m sure, after Tottenham, it felt like the end. Even if it wasn’t actually the end.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy to carry out media duties before Chelsea
17:40 , Mike JonesIt’s a busy week for Manchester United as they host Leicester City in the Carabao Cup tonight before playing Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League.
In non-Europa League weeks, the club have preferred to do their pre-match press conference ahead of the weekend on Thursday.
Although United are hoping to appoint Ruben Amorim by the Chelsea game, it has been confirmed that Ruud van Nistelrooy will carry out media duties tomorrow.
Erik ten Hag sacked by Manchester United
17:35 , Mike JonesIn case you haven’t been following the news since Man Utd’s defeat to West Ham at the weekend the biggest story coming out of Old Trafford was the departure of the manager on Monday.
Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Manchester United after the club’s worst start to a Premier League season and just four months on from being handed a contract extension at Old Trafford.
United have won just three of their opening nine league games of the campaign, including Sunday’s late 2-1 defeat at West Ham, with Ten Hag failing to impress United’s new ownership.
The decision was confirmed on Monday and former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was Ten Hag’s assistant, will take interim charge with immediate effect.
Man Utd vs Leicester prediction
17:30 , Mike JonesManchester United have good players with the ability to turn over Leicester and get their season back on track. The mental side of the game will play a huge role and if the visitors get themselves in front they could get the job over the line.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is a relative unknown in the dugout but he could provide the new manager bounce that the hosts need to edge through this game and win.
Man Utd 2-1 Leicester.
Predicted line-ups
17:25 , Mike JonesHere’s how we think the two teams will line-up against each other this evening. Ruud van Nistelrooy is selecting the Man utd team for the first time and will want to progress to the next round so expect him to go strong.
Predicted line-ups:
Man Utd XI: Onana; Dalot, Evans, Martinez, Mazraoui; Ugarte, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Leicester XI: Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Okoli, Justin; Ndidi, Skipp; Buonanotte, Ayew, Mavididi; Vardy
As for the latest odds, United are the odds on favourites to triumph despite not having a permanent manager. The individual quality is there to beat Leicester but the Foxes will sense a bit of vulnerability in the Red Devils tonight.
Latest odds:
Man Utd to win 1/4
Draw 16/5
Leicester to win 13/2
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Early Leicester team news
17:20 , Mike JonesFor Leicester, Jannik Vestergaard is in contention to return at the heart of the defence after an ankle issue with manager Steve Cooper confirming that he is back with the group.
Jakub Stolarczyk, Victor Kristiansen, Hamza Choudhury and Patson Daka have all been on the sidelines.
Danny Ward could replace Mads Hermansen in goal, after saving three penalties in the shootout win over Walsall in the previous round.
Early Man Utd team news
17:15 , Mike JonesJonny Evans was fit enough to make the bench against West Ham though he did not feature and should be in contention to face his former club tonight.
Luke Shaw is being treated carefully with his recovery from the injury that has kept him out this season but will not be ready to play. Other absentees include Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo and Noussair Mazraoui who was replaced during the defeat to the Hammers.
How can I watch it?
17:10 , Mike JonesViewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports+ with coverage beginning at 7pm. Virgin Media subscribers can access all Sky Sports+ matches via the red button. Sky subscribers also have the choice to live stream the game through Now TV or Sky Go.
If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
When is Manchester United vs Leicester City?
17:05 , Mike JonesManchester United vs Leicester is due to kick off at 7:45pm GMT on Wednesday 30 October at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Man Utd vs Leicester
17:00 , Mike JonesManchester United begin life after Erik ten Hag by welcoming Leicester City to Old Trafford for the Carabao Cup round of 16. Behind the scenes, the club are working on a deal to bring Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim to the club as a full-time replacement for Ten Hag who was sacked on Monday.
Tonight’s match sees interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy take charge of the hosts as they seek to bounce back from a 2-1 Premier League defeat to West Ham and progress further in the league cup. United’s form has been indifferent all season but they managed to overcome League One’s Barnsley 7-0 in the previous round of this competition.
However, as a fellow Premier League side Leicester City will prove to be a tougher opponent. They snuck past Walsall on penalties in the third round and a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last Friday means they will be desperate to impress. Manager Steve Cooper will know that United are in a vulnerable state and may see this match as an opportunity to secure a rare victory at Old Trafford.
Man United v Leicester - live
09:54 , Karl MatchettGood evening and welcome to the Independent’s coverage of the Carabao Cup; tonight it’s Manchester United facing Leicester City and a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
With Erik ten Hag departed and Ruben Amorim looking close to being the replacement, another new rebuilding era is heading to Old Trafford soon - but tonight it’s Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dugout facing Foxes boss Steve Cooper.
All the team news and build-up to the match is on the way.
